What would you do...?

[mach schnell]

So, I have a couple of questions that might stir up a little debate, some good discussion and hopefully give me some useful information as I have to answer the question myself.

I need to go from two cars to one car - much to my dismay, it doesn't seem like there is a great market for a modified 2.0L VW Beetle - even selling it for what I owe and abandoning the goal of recovering even a tiny amount of what was invested into the car, may be a difficult task. Now, if I had all the time in the world, then maybe it would be an endeavor worth pursuing - but since I start my residency in one month (and much unlike what you see on Gray's Anatomy - residents don't get a ton of time to screw attendings and drink beer at the local tavern) - so, something needs to happen before the end of June. Here are some thinkings I've been thinking about.

I have equity in the Porsche. Remember, this was purchased by my wife and I intended as a "congrats for finishing a billion years of school/congrats on getting your top choice for residency!" So, even though it may sell easier than the VW and we'd pocket money (what we'll do with that $$ is coming up - stay tuned) I'd need to buy something else to justify its sale (makes sense, eh?!).

1. Sell or trade the Boxster, keep the VW as my daily driver (at least for a few more years) and buy a bike (probably a Ducati or RC51)

2. Trade both cars in (including the Porsche will help to cover the neg. equity in the VW) on something worthy of driving and achieving performance/luxury satisfaction (what would that be?)
2A. Used M3 (e.g., 2004 with 20k miles...) Still a couple years warranty, etc
2B. Used 911 (maybe early 2000) - problem, though - no warranty so hard hit if mechanical problems coupled with routine maintenance costs ...
2C. 06 Infiniti G35 coupe - nice performance, reliability, warranty, luxury, boredom factor in a few years, though.
2D. 06 Mini Cooper S with the whole tuning pkg - fun, less boredom factor then Infiniti - performance, not sure?
2E. 06 Subaru WRX loaded with all the Subaru performance parts - performance, non-luxury and who am i - high school student or doctor?! Although a friend who is an ER resident in MI bought one (great place to have all wheel drive) and he constantly ranted about how he spent less and had more performance (and traction) than many of his attendings with their bimmers and porsches! Not sure I have his mindset though.
2F. 05 330ci all blacked out - low mileage, but it's automatic
2G. 05 MBc230 Red and 5 spd - super price - luxury and mild performance? every other car in soCal.

Not much interested in going to an older Boxster (like the style of the 987 and if let go of boxster would opt for something with 4 seats, thus why not considering 350Z or S2000) Not entirely crazy about sport sedans (MB has a reasonable price, Lexus IS see em everywhere!) The bike is a fun option - I miss my old crotchrocket and with these crazy ass gas prices, I'd hold on to a little more disposable cash. Not too mention, maybe a new car in a few years, plus retaining the bike (equity in the Porsche would easily buy the bike)

So, what would you do? (Oh, yeah, you can choose as your answer, 'Gee, I've been dying for a VW Beetle - I'll buy it!!!)

[aBsOlUt]

2A for me.

M3, great car, fun factor is high especially since you are coming from a boxster, enough back-seat space - unlike the 911 - relatively low mileage for a two-year old car.

I was never a bike lover, however I see your passion but as you mentioned with the high gas prices I would reject this option.

The other cars are fair choices but the M3 as an overall package will provide you everything.

Second choice is the 911 as long as you are willing to take the risk without warranty on it and you do not mind the "fake" 4-seats!

Whatever you do good luck!

[mach schnell]

dbth - you're missing the point - I don't have a ton of time to attempt to sell the VW - a recent 10 day ad on ebay yielded two watchers and no bidders!!! If car doesn't sell before June 26 (which is my fear, that it won't) - too hard to sell it after that - no time to take calls, show the car and not a good job for my wife to attempt (very car nieve, she is!) So, looking at equation that maximizes time, $$$ and still yields a liveable and happy outcome. Trust me, if time wasn't an issue (not to mention, I'd like to eliminate a car payment!) I'd drag out the sale of the VW to hold on to the Box - couldn't agree more with that option, but limited reality!

[SD987]

In your situation, I'd get the new BMW 550i. Just a complete badass sedan with phenomenal performance, no need for the M5.

1. Box is pretty impractical, plus I sense you've "fallen out of love" with it. No guy should drive the "new" VW Beetle, sorry...that's "Man Law".

2a. If you're going to get a BMW, get a new one with the free maintenance for 50K. BMW maintenance/repair is not much cheaper than Porsche out of warranty.

2b. Not a fan of the 996, nor the 986 (whoops, did I say that out loud?).

2c. Not bad...

2d. That would be a tragedy...

2e. I know I wouldn't personally want to be operated on by a Doc driving a WRX.

2f. New body shape isn't bad

2g. Meh...

There's a new 300HP Lexus IS out, although it's still coming up second in most reviews to the 3-series.

[Brucelee]

Wholesale the VW, keep the Box.

[mach schnell]

Originally Posted by Brucelee

Wholesale the VW, keep the Box.

unfortunately, don't have the $$ on hand to pick up the difference if wholesale the VW - but nice thought.

sd987 - wife would kill me if i even presented the idea of a car more expensive than the boxster - if go the route of dropping both the 987 and vw, then the new purchase will have to be less than $40k - preferably $30k-ish once VW paid off and remaining equity on Porsche towards purchase price. Not too mention - still not a big fan of the sedan sports car - in my eyes, sports car is two doors and requires manual shifting - thus the conundrum with the MB (4 doors, but MT) and the 330ci (2 doors, but auto - maybe I'm more worried that my wife will drive it if its auto )

[SD987]

Uh oh Mach...I don't have a good feeling about this. I'm skeered....

[mach schnell]

good fun - sd987 - great pix!!! fortunately for me, god said i'll never own a mini van and my lovely soccer milf of a wife, agrees that we are way to cool, hip and fast to ever be caught in one!

actually - that pix reminds me of a friend who is quite a porsche slut - this is the guy who buys a porsche and then sells it two weeks later to buy another one and doesn't care if he loses money. well, bout a year ago he shows up driving a brand new Honda minivan and he's like this is great - everyone can chill out in the back and watch DVD's as we drive up to Santa Barbara - i was choking down gallons of vomit!!! he's like you should definitely get one. i laughed, told him, "give you less than a month and its gone" - not too long later he apparently turned in front of someone and totalled it - coincidence or kamikaze desire to ride onesself of bland drivership?!

btw - are there still plans for a socal boxter cruise in June (totally want to do it before residency kills my social life and/or/if the boxster becomes somebody else's ********************!)

[TriGem2k]

Originally Posted by mach schnell

good fun - sd987 - great pix!!! fortunately for me, god said i'll never own a mini van and my lovely soccer milf of a wife, agrees that we are way to cool, hip and fast to ever be caught in one!

actually - that pix reminds me of a friend who is quite a porsche slut - this is the guy who buys a porsche and then sells it two weeks later to buy another one and doesn't care if he loses money. well, bout a year ago he shows up driving a brand new Honda minivan and he's like this is great - everyone can chill out in the back and watch DVD's as we drive up to Santa Barbara - i was choking down gallons of vomit!!! he's like you should definitely get one. i laughed, told him, "give you less than a month and its gone" - not too long later he apparently turned in front of someone and totalled it - coincidence or kamikaze desire to ride onesself of bland drivership?!

btw - are there still plans for a socal boxter cruise in June (totally want to do it before residency kills my social life and/or/if the boxster becomes somebody else's ********************!)

Im up for a nice drive....Haven't heard from KRZTACO in some time...Hes supposed to set it up..

[kinwchugn]

2A.. you can get a new car when the warranty runs out or buy the extended.
2B.. kind of expensive for repairs and not as practical if you want a four seater cause really not a back seat.
2C.. not as good as a 330ci.. faster not as good.
2D.. not really a man's car
2E.. It is really a high school kids car
2F.. automatic sucks on the 330ci
2G.. that is like a cab in socal


my choice is 2A

[velvet_jones]

How 'bout an '03 SLK 32. Those are little screamers! I was considering one before i drove the Boxster S. It is an automatic though. And, some people call the SLK's chick cars, but, some people call Boxsters chick cars too.
Good luck!
V_J

[2kwiq]

i'd say be patient when you are looking for and selling a car. it appears you have another whole month to get this done. from reading your post, i doesn't appear you have any resistance to the 330Ci except it's auto. in a month's span, you may be able to run across a 5spd.

of course, i don't think you can really compare all those cars. m3, 911 , 330, WRX...all completely different animals. you'll have a hard time doing ANYTHING until you narrow down your search.

[mach schnell]

maybe its a socal thing, but the slk does really seem more like a chick car or a male hairdresser car - it just seems to lack some of the athleticism of the porsche.

totally agree that the c230 is as common as a taxi! is that what MB was gunning for when they designated it c-class?!

good comments and suggestions, let's keep this thread going

[eslai]

Seems rather short-sighted to buy a new 987 and then sell it so quickly. Find someone to broker the VW for you!

Actually, I think i'm missing the point of why you need to go from two cars to one at all. Too costly?

Too much negative equity to get rid of it easily? I mean, can you just throw a couple thousand at the problem and be done with it?

[Rondog]

i'm with eslai......

Why in the world are you giving up the Box??? (unless the vibration thing just totally soured you)--- Seems to me with less time on your hands the joy of driving the car would be that much better....One other observation....and i mean this in the good sense--- you are a picky SOB--- you aint gonna be happy "settling" for one of these lesser vehicle!!!--So think outside of the self-imposed Box (pun intended) --Keep the 987---sell the Bug as soon as you can --for what ever you can---it's trivial in the long run....

in the words of my 19 yo.....

Dude!!! You're a friggin Doctor!!! You'll be printing money before you know it....
KEEP THE BOX!

[mach schnell]

eslai - yeah, there's just no good reason for us to have three cars right now - the $$$ in car payment/insurance on the extra vehicle could be used for so many other worthwhile and fun things. when i jumped on the 987 purchase, i moved a bit ahead of schedule. hoehn completely low-balled me on the VW as a trade, so i decided to sell it on my own, but i think i over-estimated the market for this car with so many modifications. i just really don't want to have the hassle of trying to sell the beetle (and keep paying for it) while at the same time trying to manage my new 100 hr/wk schedule, remembering everything i learned in med school and still trying to have some kind of social life and oh, yeah, get some sleep somewhere in there. selling the car at a loss and paying the difference - maybe it's lazy, but just seems if I'm gonna do that, then i might as well throw the boxster into the equation and use its equity to defray the loss and still end up driving something that's of decent caliber. (i have somebody looking for an 04 M3 for me right now)

rondog - its not the vibration that has soured me - dealing with Walter's is pretty lack-luster and that's what has me bothered - too far to go to Desert Imports, Rusnak or back to Hoehn to deal with service issues on a regular basis - but Walter's definitely has scored an F in my book at this time! i take no offense on the "picky" comment - i think we all have the right to expect superior quality - we paid for it!

btw, to all - i think the WRX is out of the equation - although i could probably land one fully loaded (including many of the additional performance parts) it's the thought of going from Box to WRX that is just way to convoluted!!!

[eslai]

Still doesn't make much sense. "I'm losing money by paying for a car I don't need. I should trade in BOTH of my cars and lose any equity I have on either one to buy another car at someone else's profit."

BUT, if you're tired of dealing with the Boxster and the dealership... I guess.... sounds like a humongous waste of money to me though. I mean so you might come out even, sure, but you would basically be following the grand mistake by buying a brand-new boxster by trading it in at a massive depreciation. Ouch!

[dezigns]

take the VW to your local Carmax...you may take a few k hit on what you may still owe, but in the long run, its a great place to unload it, provided no major accidents, etc. I've sold 2 cars there (Celica GTS and 350Z), and hey, i didnt make money, but I got rid of them same day...

[RazrPorsche]

Quote: "while at the same time trying to manage my new 100 hr/wk schedule"


Mach, I hope you mean "80hr/wk" schedule.....the ACGME is watching, LOL.

I'm new to the forum, a fellow resident, and looking for a Boxster.....or as I call it, "The One". I'm still looking though. My 944 will have to do until I find it.

Good luck with the VW sale. I vote keep the box if possible. Good luck!!

[alex911s]

Trade both and get a preowned CayenneS or Carrera and pay $1400 to cpo..just me